Furnace for metal working



March 27, 1934. J. SCHMELLER, SR

FURNACE FOR METAL WORKING Filed March 51, 1930 W (Q W w/ Wvp INVENTOR. John fickme/len 5):,

A TTOYNYJ Patented Mar. 27, 1934 1,952,145.

FURNACE .FOR METAL WORKING John Schmeller, Sr., Lakewood, Ohio, assignor to Schmeller Holding Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio A pplication March 31, 1930, Serial No. 440,508

6 Claims. (01. 263-23) This application is a continuation in part of may also be used as an intermediate chamber for my application, Serial No. 252,738, filed February further treatment of the metal preliminary to 8, 1928. This invention as indicated relates to a changing the same into castings or ingots. furnace for metal working. More particularly it The melting and puddling chamber 2, as shown has in View the provision of an apparatus espein the drawing, is provided with a suitable supcially adapted for the deoxidizing and refining porting base 5, of masonry or the like, upon which of light, readily oxidizable metals, such as alumithe floor 6 of the puddling chamber rests. The num, and the like, and the recovery of the same bottom of the melting and puddling chamber is from salvage materials including finely divided substantially semi-circular as seen in cross-sec- 10 material such as borings, turnings, skimmings, tion, and merges with the vertical side walls '7, 8, sweepings, and the like. The furnace may be which support a roof 9, of suitable material. End one of a unit of metal treating chambers similar walls 11, 12, are also provided, the inner end wall to that shown inmy Patent No. 1,659,445 or ap- 11 being provided with the small opening 3 complications co-pending therewith, municating with the adjoining chamber 4.

.15 It is well known that the elimination of oxides The outer end wall 12 is provided with a large from metals in a molten state is involved in much opening 13 shown as rectangular in form, and difficulty, and especially so with finely divided having a small channel or recess 14 on its under metal particles of light, readily oxidizable metals, side for a purpose to be presently explained. A such as aluminum, because of the relatively large heavy explosion door 15 of suitable refractory 20 amount of oxide surrounding the individual material is adapted to be hung over said opening, particles of metal. 7 said door being preferably supported on flexible The present apparatus has in view the treatmembers 16, and movable outwardly by the presment of metals in a molten state, especially light sure of the gases within the melting and puddling metals, as above described, in such a manner that chamber. The weight of the explosion door is 25 the deoxidizing of the same and the freeing of such that the egress of the gases'therefrom will the mass from impurities may be carried on be retarded and inasmuch as all the furnace open- With a high degree of speed and with a resulting ings in the melting and puddling chambers are product having a minimum residual amount of covered with heavy doors, there will be incomplete oxides and impurities therein. To the accomcombustion of the gases within said chamber 30 plishment of the foregoing and related ends, said which-will be held over the molten mass at a slight invention, then, consists of the means hereindegree of pressure. Thus the access of oxygen to after fully described and particularly pointed out the molten mass is prevented. The reducing in the claims. gases held above the bath may be produced from The annexed drawing and the following dethe oil and grease on the particles of material be- 35 scription set forth in detail certain mechanism ing treated, such as borings, turnings, and the embodying the invention, such disclosed means like, or may be introduced through oil jets (not constituting, .however, but one of various me shown). As stated, the melting and puddling chanical forms in which the principle of the inchamber 2 is in communication with the adjacent vention may be used. chamber 4 through the opening 3 and the heat ap- 40 In said annexed drawing: plied by oil or gas jets to the metal in the chamber Fig. 1 is a central vertical view partly in sec 4 is communicated to the metal undergoing agition, showing a .form of construction embodytation in the puddling chamber.

. ing the principles of my invention; and Fig. 2 At the sides of-the furnace charging and skimis a transverse central sectional view of the deming openings 17, 13, with suitable doors 19, 20,

5 vice shown in Fig. 1, looking toward the right. preferably suspended on flexible members, are

, As is clearly shown in the drawing, the furnace provided so that the material to be treated may be 1 includes a chamber which may be designated fed into the furnace at either or both sides as may a melting pu d be Which combe found desirable. Either side may be used as mun ca s through a Small Opening adjacent the feeding or skimming side, as may be most con- ,50 its base with an adjoi Chamber Which ay venient. Suitable troughs 21, 22, are provided becompri e 81 Casting heating Chamber, S mi a low the respective openings 17, 18, to receive any to that in my application heretofore referred to, skimmings or refuse. If desired, said troughs to receive the metal treated in the chamber 2, may contain a quantity of water. The recess 14 and bring it to or maintain it at the proper temadjacent the lower portion of the explosion open- 55 perature for casting. The furnace chamber 4 ing provides for the free passage into the melting and puddling chamber of a horizontal shaft 23 supporting the agitating grid 24 at its free end; The shaft is supported in a suitable bearing 25 mounted upon a pedestal 26 spaced some distance from the furnace so as to Keep said bearing at all times free from deterioration owing to the heat of the furnace gases. The grid or agitating member carried by the shaft may assume various forms and may comprise a single grid or plate, as illustrated, or may be formed of a plurality of plates, as will be obvious. Likewise the grid may be oscillated bacl; and forth through the molten metal or it may be rotated therethrough, by any conventional crank arm or gears (not shown), associated. with a suitable motor.

If at any time it should be necessary to withdraw the grid from the furnace structure, the same may be rotated to a vertical position upwardly above the shaft and withdrawn outwardly through the explosion door above the recess referred to. The explosion door 15 is provided with a notch 27 centrally of its lower edge which permits said door to serve as a partial closure for the excess space about the opening for the shaft.

The grid preferably has a minimum degree of clearance from the side walls and bottom wall of the furnace chamber and preferably has apertures 30 of such size that a fair degree of speed of movement through the molten mass may be carried out and yet thorough agitation of said mass produced.

The shaft is normally disposed above the level of the liquid Within the furnace chamber and as it is oscillated or rotated, the grid is forced through the molten mass of metal. Oscillating motion is preferable in most instances as it per mits more prequent agitation and is self-cleansing of adhering particles. This puddling action breaks up the molten mass into a series of subdivisions which, through the mechanical action of the grid by friction and impact, serves to separate the particles of added material and intermix them with the mass of molten'metal within the chamber whereby thermal as well as mechanical action will be had upon the individual particles and the metal will be incorporated with the molten heel or body of metal originally within the furnace, the oxides and foreign matter being freed therefrom and rising to the surface from which they may be removed by skimming from time to time. The pure metal may be drawn from the furnace into the chamber 4 through the opening 3 adjacent the base thereof. In order to permit the withdrawal of material at the bottom of the melting and puddling chamber, a downwardly inclined passageway 28 formed through the outside end wall of the'chamber at the bottom thereof which also assists in the cleaning of the melting and puddling chamber of any accumulated foreign matter. A sui able plug 29, of clay or the like, may be used to close the opening during normal operation of the furnace.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. An apparatus of the character described having in combination a furnace chamber adapted to receive a bath of molten metal and having straight end walls and a base portion of semi-circular cross-section, a shaft mounted concentrically with said semi-circular portion, and agitating means in the form of a grid extending substantially the'full length of said chamber and adapted to be partially immersed in the molten metal of said bath secured to said shaft and having it marginal end portions in closely spaced relation to the respective straight end walls of said chamber and its lower margin in closely spaced relation to the curved portion of said furnace chamber.

2. An apparatus of the character described having in combination a furnace chamber adapted to receive a bath of molten metal and having straight end walls and a base portion of semicircular cross-section, a shaft mounted concentrically with said semi-circular portion, a grid extending substantially the full length of said chamber and adapted to be partially immersed in the molten metal of said bath secured to said shaft and having its marginal end portions in closely spaced relation to the respective straight end walls of said chamber and its lower margin in closely spaced relation to the curved portion of said furnace chamber, and means for moving saidgrid into and out of contact with the bath of molten metal positioned within said semicircular portion of said furnace chamber.

3. An apparatus of the character described having in combination a furnace chamber adapted to receive a bath of molten metal and having straight end walls and a base portion-of semicircular cross-section, a shaft mounted concentrically with said semi-circular portion, agitating means in the form of a grid extending substantially the full length of said chamber and adapted to be partially immersed in the molten metal of said bath secured to said shaft and having its marginal end portions in closely spaced relation to the respective straight end walls of said chamber and its lower margin in closely spaced relation to the curved portion of said furnace chamber, and a substantially closed superstructure for said furnace chamber to substantially seal said shaft and to retain reducing gases I,

above said bath of molten metal.

4. An apparatus of the character described having in combination a furnace chamber adapted to receive a bath of molten metal, the lower portion of which is of semi-cylindrical outline and the upper portion of which is enclosed by a housing having a plurality of apertures closed by suspended doors in close contact therewith and freely movable outwardly under pressure of gases within said furnace, a shaft supported independently of said furnace and projecting thereinto from one end to a point substantially adjacent the farther wall thereof and agitating means secured to said shaft, said means comprising a plurality of members with open spaces between the same through which the metal is forced by the movement of said means, and subdivided into a plurality of separated portions which react upon each other.

5. An apparatus of the character described having in combination a substantially closed furnace chamber, having a large opening adjacent one side closed by an explosion door, and providing a recess on the lower side of said opening, an agitating member comprising a grid member mounted on a shaft, said grid being adapted to be engaged within said furnace through said large opening with the shaft seated in said recess, and means spaced from said furnace adapted to form the sole support of said agitating member.

6. An apparatus of the character described having in combination a substantially closed fursaid agitating member from a position above the liquid level at one side through the mass of molten metal in a direction at an angle to the surface of said metal to a position above the liquid level at the opposite side.

J OgN SCHMELLER, SR. 

